Method of and apparatus for forming axles.



J. T. ROWLEY.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AXLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22.1909. RENEWED MAR. 21. 1918.

1,%3 ,816.. Patented 0%.29, 1918.

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0Q 1 9 l 9 2 t 0 0 d m m P 4 SHEETSSHEET 2- J. T. ROWLEY. METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS FOR FORMING AXLES.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 22, I909- RENEWED MAR. 2h1918 1,288,316.. IPatented Oct. 29, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. T. ROWLEY.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZZ, I909; RENEWED MAR- 21, I918.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J OI-IN THOMAS ROWLEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0FONE-FOURTH -'IO JOHN H. HONEY, OF INGRAM, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AXLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2a, was.

Application filed March 22,=1909, Serial No. 484,956. Renewed March 21,1918. Serial No. 223,871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J0HN THOMAS Row- LEY, a cltlzen of the vUnitedStates, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny ,operation acollar is first formed on one i end of said bar, then in successiveorder the bar is reduced and elongated at a point coinciding with one ofthe journal, bearings of the subsequently formed axle, tapered from thewheel seat toward the center, longitudi nally, where the greatestreduction and elongation is attained, then tapered from the center tothe wheel seat, and finally the other portion of the bar coinciding withthe other journal bearing is reduced andelongated, and a collar formedon the other end of the bar these, several steps being successivelyperformed in acontinuous opera tion.

I-am aware that eiforts have been made to produce an axle of this orsimilar type by a rolling operation, that is, by subjecting a bar of therequisite area or cross-section, to compression between sets of rolls,but, so far as I am aware, these efforts have involved the use of a millin which the bar was laid lengthwise, and a method which required thegreatest reduction to be performed in the beginning of the operation andat the center longitudinally of the bar, and without the requisiteelongation, the result being that an irregularly shaped cavity wasformed in the interior of the blank at such point, producing animperfect and non-commercial axle. The object of the present 1n ventionis to produce an axle by a rolling heating a billet, bar or rod of arequisite cross-section or area and passing the same longitudinally fromend to end between two .,,o,pposing rolls or disks, in which a 'die isformed, conforming substantially to the shape of the axle,the said diebeing so shaped that a cOllar'iS formed on the end of the bar firstintroduced between said rolls; the portion of the bar coinciding withthe ournal bearings of the subsequently formed axle -being forced orpressed laterally, and reduced in thickness on a line vertical there'-to, a distance sufiicient to convert the bar from a round at such pointto an oval, and the portion coinciding to the portion of the axlebetween the wheel seats is carried laterally and contracted on alinevertical thereto, a distance sufficient to convert the bar at such pointfrom a round of uniform cross section, to an oval wider and of lessthick- .ness at the center longitudinally thereof,

than at other points; the part between the center and the wheel seatlast acted upon by the rolls being somewhat thicker and consequentlyshorter than the other corresponding portion first acted upon by therolls, for the purpose of providing sufficient metal at the properpoints to insure the'production of the axle at the finishing pass ofuniform cross-section at all corresponding points and of uniform lengthin corresponding parts; then by passing the partially completed axleblank between two opposing rolls, in which a die is formed, conformingin shape, substantially, to that of the axle, to contract or flatten thepreviously widened portion coin ciding with the journal bearings, in onedirection, sufficient to convert said portion from an oval into a round,and simultaneously drawlng out or elongatmg the same into a round ofunlform cross-sectlon, constituting the journal bearings, and byreducing and contracting and elongatin' the portion; between the wheelseats su cient to convert such portion into a round tapering from thecenter longitudinally to the wheel seats, and of less cross-section atthe center than at other points; and finally straighten- 7 ing the axlethus formed in any suitable manner.

In the accompanying drawings I show apparatuses adapted to carry out orpractice the method of forming axles herein olescribed. In said drawingsI also show a diagrammatic View of a plant whlch comprises a series ofmills for producing the requisite form of bar for use in the manufactureof axles, in connection with my improved axle forming mill, also adevice'or mill for straightening the axle when formed.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of my improved plantfor making axles; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the forming and reducingmill, motor and driving mechanism therefor; Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the same; 1

ishing mill; F ig. 5 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 6 is atransverse section of the first set of rolls of the reducing and formingmill, showing the position of the rolls at the beginning of the pass;Fig. 7 is the same, showing'the position of the rolls at the com pletionof the pass, and the shape of the blank; Fig. 8 is the same of thesecond set of rolls of the reducing mill, just prior to the passage ofthe partially formed axle therethrough; Fig. 9 is the same, showing theposition of the rolls upon the completion of the pass and the shape ofthe axle blank prior'to its entrance to the finishing mill; Figs. 10,11, 12 and 13 show, respectively, an elevation of the bar, of theincomplete axle after passage through the first set of reducing andforming rolls, of the incomplete axle after passage through the secondset of ing the reducing and forming 1n1ll.'-- The rolls, of theaxleafter being acted upon by the finishing or straightening mill.

Referring to said drawings, 1 is a heating furnace of any suitableconstruction, and is provided with a charging device or mechanism, 2. 3is a mill for converting the billet, after being discharged from saidfurnace, into a round, 4. 5 is a mill, arranged tandem with the lastmentioned mill, having grooves in the face of the rolls thereof, capableof converting the round, 4, into a bar, 4:, oval in cross-section. 6 isa mill in al'inement with mill 5, and the rolls thereof have formedtherein grooves capable of converting the oval bar, {1', into a bar, 4?,

round or, circular 'in cross-section, and

elongating the same. 7 is a conveyer of suitable construction,connecting mill 6fwith the axle forming mill, 8. The said mills 3, 5 and6 are driven by-any suitable motor or engine, an electric motor, 9,being .shown herein, andsuitable driving mechanism, 10,

and clutches, 11, are shown in connection with said motor for suchpurpose. The said mill 8 comprises two sets of vertically disposedrolls, each set having two rolls. The

first set comprises rolls 12, 12, which are supported in suitablehousings, 13, and are driven by power transmitted from said motor, 9,through suitable driving mechanism, 14, 14, herein shown to comprise abelt and gearing, in connection with suitable clutch mechanism, 15.

The said rolls, 12, 12, are of very considerable diameter, being atleast five feet in diameter, and in each of'the opposing working facesor peripheries of the same, is

formed a die, 16, 16, which conforms in shape substantially.-to theshape of an axle blank. The ends of said dies are provided lars, 17, ofthe axle.

4 is a plan view of the finwith depressions, 17, which forms the 001- Adepression 18 is formed between said collars and the depression 19 whichforms the wheel seat 19, for the formation of the journal bearing, 20,and a tapered groove, 21, gradually widening, from the wheel seat to thecenter, longitudinally of the bar, and decreasing gradually, in depth,from said wheel seat to the journal bearings oval in cross-section,wheel seats circular in cross-section and a portion between the wheelseats oval in cross-section and wider and of less thickness at thecenter longitudiiially than at other points.

22, 22, are the other set of rolls compris- -Carrier rollers, 24:, areinterposed between the said sets of rolls, 12, 12 and 2222, for thepurpose of supporting the piece or blank 1n its transit from said rollsto the saidrolls 22. The working faces ofsaid rolls,

22, are provided with dies, which conform to the shape of an axle blank.The said dies having, at each end thereof a recess or depression, 26,which corresponds in shape, to the collars previously formed upon theaxle blank; and are :also formed with depressions, 27, 28, between thecollars and the wheel seats, circular in all axial planes and of greaterlength than the portion of the bar between thecollars and the wheelseats after its passage through the first set ofrolls, 12, 12. This isfor the purpose of reduci'ng the oval portion of the blank at this pointto a round, and elongating the same, to produce a round uniformly incross-section, constituting one of the journal bearings of the axle.Thesaid die has also depressions at'both ends adjacent to thedepressions for forming the bearings, circular in all axial planes, toform the wheel seats, and a groove, 29, circular in all axial planes,

and tapering from the wheel seats to the center. The configuration ofthe die being such as to 'pI'OClHC8fIOl11 an axle blank the wheel seatsto the center, and of less cross-section at the center than at otherpolnts.

It will be noted that the dies heretofore mentioned and described,instead of forming abrupt shoulders upon the inner'and outer sldes ofthe wheel seats, gradually reduce from said edges toward the center ofthe axle and toward the journal bearings, respectively, upon an angle.-This avoids any possiblity of dragging down said edges in rolling theaxle.

Another feature of importance in the construction of the dies is thatthe portion of the groove of the die from the center to the wheel seat,just before its exit from the first pass is deeper than thecorresponding portion on the opposite end of the die. This is for thepurpose, as heretofore stated, of

providing suflicient materlal to enable the production of an-axle havinguniform'thicknesses in corresponding parts.

In the construction of the rolls or dies, 12-12 and 2222, the dies arecast or molded in the face thereof, and this obviates the necessity ofthe great expense and dif. I ficult roll turnlng to form such dies. Itwill be noted, also, that the dies are formed upon an extension of thetrue circle of the roll. This is to enable the dies to be adjusted asfollows upon their shafts, namely, in the event of any warping in thecasting of these dies, which might possibly throw the working faces outof axial relation with reference to the center,- this can be adjusted byrunning a line from the three points where advantages and merits of thereducing and forming mills is manifold, as an axle blank, complete inall its details excepting the machining of the journal bearings, can beproduced in one-tenth the time now required to produce a similararticle.

The finishing mill as through which the, axles are finally passed isshown in top plan view by Fig: 4 and in side elevation by lavingdescribed my invention, what-I- cl'aim and desire to secure by LettersPatent 1s: 1. The herein described method of making axles, whichconsists in, first, heating a billet or bar of the requislte area, thenby pressure converting the said bar 1nto a blank,

substantially conforming to the shape of the axle; the part between thewheel seats being oval in cross-section, wider and of less thickness atthe longitudinal center than at other parts thereof, and the partsbetween the Wheel-seats and the collars being oval of uniformcross-section; then flattening and narrowing and elongating thepreviously widened portions into a round, the part be tween thewheel-seats being circular in crosssection and said blank being of lesscrosssection at the center longitudinally thereof than at other parts,and-the parts between the wheel seats and the collars being of uni formcross-section, thereby producing an axle blank circular in cross-sectionat all points and of less diameter at the center longitudinally andtapering therefrom to the wheel seats and of uniform cross-section atthe journal bearings and the wheel seats.

2. The herein described method of making axles, which consists in,first, heating a billet or bar of the requisite area, than by pressureconverting the said bar into a blank substantially conforming to theshape of the axleythe part between the wheel seats being oval incross-section-wider and of less thickness at the longitudinal centerthan at other parts thereof, one of the parts between the longitudinalcenter and one of the wheel seats being thicker on line vertical to itslength and somewhat shorter than the other corresponding portion,. andthe parts between the wheel seats and the collars being oval of uniformcross-section; then by flattening and-narrowing and elongating,converting the previously widened portions into a round, the partbetween the wheel seats being circular in cross-section and of lesscrosssection at the center longitudinally thereof than at the otherparts, and the parts between the wheel-seats and the collars being of auniform cross-section, thereby producing an axle blank circular incross-section at all points andof-less diameter at the centerlongitudinallyand tapering therefronnto the wheel seats and of uniformcross-sectionat the journal bearings and the wheel, seats.

3. The herein described method of making axles of varying cross section,which consists in heating a bar of the requisite area, then by thepressure of a die convertlng said bar into a blank, substantiallyconforming to the shape of the axle, the part between the wheel seatsbeing oval in cross section, and graduallydecreasing in thickness towardthe middle where it is wider and of less th ckness-than at other pointsthereof, then by subsequent die pressure flattening and narrowing andelongating converting the previously widened portion into a portionhaving a substantially circular cross section.

4. The herein described method of making axles of varying cross sectionswhich consists in first, heating a bar of the requ site area, then bythe pressure of a die converting the said bar into a blank substantiallyconforming to the shape of the axle, the

.parts between the wheel seats and the-collars sists in applyingpressure by means of a die to a bar of the requisite area so as toflatten certain portions thereof, one of said flattened portions havinga varying cross section and bein wider than other ortions of the bar ancsubsequentlyroundlng and elongating said flattened portion by means ofas'econd die so as to provide a reduced portion having a substantiallycircular cross section.

' j 6. The herein described method of making axles of varying crosssections, which consists in heating a bar of the requisite area,applying pressure to the bar by means of a die so as to flatten theportions between the wheel seats and also the portions between the wheelseats and the collars, the flattened I portion between the wheel seatsgradually decreasing in thickness and increasing in Width from oppositeends toward the center thereof and subsequently flattening and narrowingand elongating the previously flattened portions by means of a seconddie so as to provide reduced portions having substantially circularcross sections, the cross section between the wheel seats and collarsbeing uniform, while the cross section of the intermediate portion ofthe bar between the wheel seats gradually tapers in thickness toward themiddle thereof.

I 7. A mill for forming axles, comprising two sets of rolls of two rollseach, the working.faces of each of said rolls having a die formedtherein and each die having spaced depressions at the ends thereof forforming .the collars and wheel seats and shallow portions. between thespaced depressions for flattening the intermediate portion of the axle,the distance between the depressions of the second set of dies beinggreater than the distance between the depressions of the first set ofdies so that the bar will be elongated as it passes successively throughthe two sets of dies. g I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN THOMAS ROWLEY. In the presence of- CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS, JOHN. H.RoNEY.

